Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Bobby McMann just slammed the door on Edmonton Oilers trade chatter, and Toronto Maple Leafs talks are already drifting to other names.
Friday’s “The Sheet” buzz said Edmonton and Toronto are talking, but not about McMann. The same report floated Nic Roy and Oliver Ekman-Larsson as possible targets.
Then another post tied to The Fourth Period took it further. It claimed the Leafs have zero plans to move Roy or Ekman-Larsson coming out of the break.
It also said McMann isn’t interested in being talked to the Oilers. That’s the part Oil Country should underline.
McMann isn’t a passenger on Toronto’s roster right now. He’s sitting on 19-13-32 this season and he just scored Tuesday in Edmonton.
If the player is pushing back, it matters. Even without trade protection, the vibes can change what a GM is willing to pay.
Edmonton doesn’t need drama for a deadline add. The Oilers need a fit, not a headline.
Bobby McMann keeps Edmonton Oilers from rushing
Oilers fans have seen this movie, and the fatigue is real when “perfect fits” turn into bidding wars.
So if McMann is effectively saying “not now,” Stan Bowman should pivot. Fast.
Roy is 29, drafted in 2015, Round 4, by the Carolina Hurricanes. He has 5-15-20 this season and he plays a clean, heavy middle-lane game.
That profile screams third-line stability behind Edmonton’s stars. It’s the kind of plug-in piece that survives playoff hockey.
Ekman-Larsson is trickier. He’s producing at 8 goals and 34 points in 56 games, but the cap hit and term are the real fight.
He’s signed through 2027-28 at $3.5 million, with a limited no-trade list. That’s not a simple rental.
For now, the clean read is this: McMann cooled Edmonton’s lane, and Toronto is signaling it won’t gift the alternatives either. Deadline poker just got louder.
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Craig Button unloads on Edmonton Oilers goaltending on Sportscentre and it hits a nerve
Craig Button unloads on Edmonton Oilers goaltending on Sportscentre and it hits a nerve
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 7|134 ANSWERS Edmonton keeps calling, but a Toronto player keeps backing away Should the Edmonton Oilers stop chasing Bobby McMann? | ||
| Yes | 97 | 72.4 % |
| No | 37 | 27.6 % |
| List of polls | ||